The article presents the results of theoretical and experimental research of acoustic emission of friction units during rolling-sliding friction contact. The purpose of this study is the development of a method of accelerated assessment of contact fatigue strength with the application of acoustic emission during friction contact. The application of acoustic emission method reveals periods of energy state of the material: the activation, the damage accumulation, the transition to the initial fatigue damage. Pulse loading up to the maximum possible value was used for activation of damage accumulation process on the friction surfaces. Specific destructive energy for one load cycle was used as the fatigue strength assessment criterion. The developed technique allows to quantify the fatigue strength in analogy with the methods of such evaluation with the help of fatigue machines for testing at cyclic loads.